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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24762127">The Crown Jewel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan'>Nicxan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Link Has Selective Mutism, M/M, Not Set In A Specific Game</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:41:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24762127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A Gerudo that makes jewelry for a living is shocked when a Hylian man moves into a Gerudo Village.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>311</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Crown Jewel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordBlumiere/gifts">LordBlumiere</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written as a 'thank you' for a beta pal of mine, LordBlumiere! ; U; thank u for all u do and I am so glad you like this </p><p>This is not set in any particular game, I'm gonna be upfront. It's just the whole ....... like ........ "farm boy falls in love with royalty" trope that I love so much ... so here u go </p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being a merchant definitely had its perks. <br/><br/>Mulono worked long hours and the haggling customers were an absolute pain more often than not. Stock was difficult to find at times. The desert sun often scorched her or the cold winds at night made her shiver. There were times when it was difficult to just break even; that was the worst aspect. The idea of going back to her partner empty-handed left her with many a sleepless night. <br/><br/>The people-watching one could do, though, was invaluable. And she had noticed something very, very interesting recently. <br/><br/>She first saw the Hylian farm boy when she was selling a jade circlet. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his pale skin and dirty blond hair. Everyone was on guard as soon as they noticed him, herself included. Men weren’t allowed in Gerudo Village. ‘<em>What’s he doing here?</em>’ She narrowed her eyes only when the customer left and craned her neck to watch the commotion. <br/><br/>The Hylian had a pep in his step despite the way his ears twitched and the way he shrank back from anyone close by. He was quick to show approaching Gerudo a certain brooch -- something about safe passage? When he showed the Gerudo that emblem, they quickly backed off and let him be. <br/><br/>The oddest thing to her was that this Hylian had a massive sack slung over his shoulder. He clearly wasn’t a merchant himself: he was dressed as a farm boy. Was he hired help? Which Gerudo had hired him? It was an interesting question, but nothing that she had time to think about. That was one of the busier days. <br/><br/>Initially, she wrote it off as an oddity. Merchants saw odd things all the time; how was this any different? People came and went all the time, anyway. It was highly unlikely he’d stick around long; most likely, he’d just do the job and then go. <br/><br/>All was normal for a bit after. There were a couple of rough days, only salvaged by a few sales here and there. It was the life Mulono was used to -- hardly anything out of the ordinary in any respect, but still frustrating. And boring, really. <br/><br/>A few days later, something strange happened: she saw him again. <br/><br/>He hadn’t come in from the entrance to the village, either. Mulono had been bored that day from a lack of customers, so she actually had time to observe him. The Hylian had been given a new outfit by someone here, most likely. It wasn’t much, though. The loose cotton shirt was stark white and the trousers were an odd shade of brown, rather than anything too fancy. </p><p>‘<em> Still new clothes, though, </em> ’ Mulono thought to herself as he walked by. <em> ‘Whoever he’s working for must be pretty generous. </em> ’ His blue eyes met her green ones and she quickly looked down, pretending to fiddle with her wares. <br/><br/>He didn’t move for a few seconds and she feared for the worst. Clearly she needed to up her spying game. If she was being that obvious ... oh, shoot. He was walking over to her. Time to put on her ‘please give me some rupees’ face. Sure, he was a Hylian male, but considering he still wore that brooch, she’d give him the same attitude she’d give anyone else. <br/><br/>Besides, that would mean more rupees in the bank if she was lucky. <br/><br/>“<em>Sav’otta</em>, good morning,” Mulono said in an only partially fake chipper tone. “Got all kinds of jewelry for sale here. Needing something for a lover in your life? Or maybe something to spice up some outfit you have already?” <br/><br/>The Hylian waved at her kindly and began to look over the stock she had that day. He was so short that he could barely see the booth, but he made do by standing on his tip-toes and getting a good view that way. His eyes barely lingered on the golden, shimmering bracelets; they wandered to more modest things, such as the necklaces or the earrings. He was quite respectful in how he handled it, as well, much to her surprise. Most customers weren’t that courteous. <br/><br/>He picked up a pair of emerald earrings to admire them, grinning at the way they caught in the sunlight. A good sign -- maybe she’d make some money today. <br/><br/>“Good choice,” she began. “Made those beauties just yesterday by hand. I’m quite proud of them. They’re 700 rupees if you want them.” <br/><br/>Mulono almost felt bad about the disappointed look on his face. His ears drooped, but the momentary lapse in his cheerful demeanor quickly faded. The Hylian forced a brighter smile, then sadly shook his head. The earrings were set back down just as carefully as when he picked them up. <br/><br/>“Aw, I understand. Hard times.” Mulono hesitated a moment. Glancing around, she saw no one rushing towards her little stall. No one had even given those earrings a glance before now ... and he had been very polite. “Tell you what? I’ll hold onto them for you. If you can save up the rupees, you can have them.” <br/><br/>She felt like she’d break his hand if she shook it too hard, but he was so eager for a handshake. She couldn’t quite bring herself to say no. So, Mulono was just careful. He rushed back to his employer, she presumed, with an intact hand, and she had 700 rupees that would come in. Eventually. Sometime. <br/><br/>All in all, not a bad day. </p><hr/><p>It had been two weeks since she had seen the Hylian boy. A bit of a bummer, really, but Mulono knew it was a long shot in the first place to get those rupees. He wouldn’t be working for someone here if he was well-to-do, but even so. <br/><br/>Instead, Mulono focused on the customers she did have. It wasn’t many, but, no, focus on the positives. A few had asked about custom commissions rather than just what she had on sale. Initially, she said she had no plans to do that, but after the surge of interest? She couldn’t help but wonder if that was a more surefire way to get some people talking about her. Which meant more rupees. <br/><br/>It couldn’t hurt, at the very least. <br/><br/>So, Mulono took one of those commissions on. While she couldn’t work on it at the stall, she could absolutely plan and draw it out. That might get people asking what she’s doing, which meant more commissions ... <em> man </em> , she was good. <br/><br/>It was when she was working on the design of a circlet that the Hylian dropped by again. He looked very proud of himself -- very excited. Definitely a good sign, considering their last conversation. <br/><br/>“Welcome back!” Mulono rolled up the paper and set it aside. “You look happy. I’m guessing you managed to get the rupees you needed?” <br/><br/>His eager nod told her everything she needed to know. The Hylian pulled out a bag and set it in front of her. Was he bouncing with excitement? That was ... pretty cute, actually. Mulono couldn’t help but smile as she took the rupees and -- wait. <br/><br/>They were silver rupees. Just seven of them, but still. <em> Silver rupees</em>. <br/><br/>That wasn’t a haul that one would get just from work. Usually, purple ones were the only ‘high amount’ rupee she saw. Mulono took one out and examined it carefully, making sure that she was actually seeing what she was seeing. She absolutely was. <br/><br/>“Wow. Lucky you! I haven’t seen a silver rupee before.” Mulono dropped rupee back into the bag and hid it quickly. Didn’t need anyone seeing that, now. “I got your earrings right here. Like I promised, I haven’t sold them.” <br/><br/>He only beamed at her. That grin only grew wider when she fished out the earrings from their box and handed them to him. The Hylian didn’t even hesitate to open them and put them on, which she also found pretty adorable. Not many customers were this eager to wear her creations right out of the gate. <br/><br/>“They look great on you!” They did, too. They framed him perfectly and were a perfect little addition for him -- a small detail that would make people turn their heads. “<em>Sarqso</em>. I hope you enjoy them!” <br/><br/>The Hylian waved and began to turn to leave, but he paused. Mulono blinked in confusion when he turned around and began to mouth. What was he saying ...? She squinted in a better attempt to read his lips, but it took a few seconds to parse what he was saying. <br/><br/>“Name? You’re asking for my name?” <br/><br/>The Hylian nodded eagerly. <br/><br/>“Oh. My name is Mulono. A pleasure.” The handshake she received wasn’t as eager this time, but it was polite and firm. “Yours?” <br/><br/>The Hylian hesitated. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Mulono, not being an idiot, quickly fished out a blank sheet of paper and a quill for him to write on. He took it with a grateful bow of his head, then scribbled down just one word. <br/><em> <br/>‘Link.’ </em> <br/><br/>“Link?” He nodded to confirm. “Well, glad to meet you. Hopefully I’ll see you again sometime soon.” <br/><br/>By the time Link waved goodbye and rushed off, Mulono was too distracted by a couple more customers to really think of the exchange any more than she already had. Rupees and jewelry changed hands, people walked away happy with their purchases, and Mulono went home that evening with a jingling pouch full of rupees. <br/><br/>Definitely a good day. </p><hr/><p>A month had passed since she had last seen Link for more than a few seconds. Normally, he passed by too quickly. Sometimes he’d be in that cotton shirt and trousers, other times, he’d be wearing something a bit fancier. Sometimes he’d have some goods and wares over his shoulder, other times not. They never had time to chat, though; Mulono could never ask what he was up to.<br/><br/>Once in a while, she would wonder how Link was, but then get swept back up in her ever-expanding business. There was so much to think of now and she couldn’t risk letting any potential profits slip through her fingertips. <br/><br/>She had to expand the size of her stall a week ago. Commissioned jewelry had definitely been the ticket to a successful store: who knew that some Gerudo liked to actually have <em> input </em> on the jewelry they wore? Amazing, really. <br/><br/>The influx of customers let her hear more gossip, too. Of course, Mulono kept her head down and pretended to hear none of it. That was the way to ensure survival and not get hauled off of the streets; there were some things she wasn’t supposed to know. Didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy hearing bits and snippets of things, though. <br/><br/>“Did you hear about the king?” one Gerudo asked another. Guards, judging by their weapons and the adornments they wore. <br/><br/>“What about him?” <br/><br/>“I’ve heard he’s smitten with someone.” <br/><br/>Mulono raised her eyebrow, but kept to herself and focused on the design work. Her quill scratched against the paper as they continued to talk nearby. <br/><br/>“Him? Smitten?” One of the women laughed. “You have to be mistaken. He’s too dedicated to allow a distraction like that.” <br/><br/>“But I’m telling you it’s true,” the guard protested. She huffed and folded her arms as best as she could. It was probably more difficult to do that while holding a glaive; Mulono couldn’t help but be impressed.  “Haven’t you noticed that he’s been in the stables a lot lately?” <br/><br/>“What of it?” <br/><br/>“I mean, think of who he hired ...” <br/><br/>Well, <em> this </em> was scandalous. Mulono strained to hear more, but the guards had wandered away by this point. She cursed her misfortune -- and then cursed how messy her lines had gotten while eavesdropping. She’d have to scrap this rough draft and start on a new sheet. <br/><br/>But the gossip was quite interesting. Their king, Ganondorf, smitten with anyone? He was a good, kind ruler, someone that the Gerudo cared for deeply. He cared for them just as much, but he was so busy. How had he found time? A part of Mulono couldn’t help but wonder who had taken his heart -- the other part of her wisely knew it was none of her business. Either way, hopefully, their fair King was happy. <br/><br/>But if she tried to ask for more details, it would probably not end very well. And, quite frankly, Mulono wanted to keep things how they were now that she was turning a near-constant profit. Yet, the temptation ... <br/><br/><em> ‘Think of who he hired ...</em><em>’</em> she mused to herself. <br/><br/>It was pretty easy to put the pieces together once she tried. Link was new here. He was clearly hired for long-term work, considering the fact he was still here almost two months later. His simple clothing must be because he was working somewhere like the stables! Never mind that he paid for his earrings with silver rupees, rare currency that she was convinced only rich people had ... <br/><br/><em> Oh, Hylia. </em> <em> <br/></em> <br/>Mulono instantly brushed away the idea. No, their King would likely not fall for a Hylian. That was a ridiculous notion. But it made so much sense! Oh, if only she had a way to ask and find out for herself. Being able to say that she sold jewelry to Ganondorf’s lover would be quite an amazing advertisement. That, and it would offer some security. Never hurt to be too safe. <br/><br/>“I can’t focus on this now,” she muttered to a half-finished circlet design. The sheer force of that juicy bit of gossip just hit her too hard. She’d probably have to lay down for a while when she got home and just soak this in. <br/><br/><em> Their king probably became smitten with a Hylian. </em> Even just thinking it made her giddy and yet exhausted. How many merchants overheard something like this? Not very often! But what was she going to do with this knowledge? <br/><br/>Absolutely nothing. <br/><br/>Mulono hated that sensible answer, but it snapped her out of the reverie long enough to help a Gerudo mother that came to her stall. </p><hr/><p>Business was booming. <br/><br/>Mulono hadn’t really had time to pay attention to anything outside of her work for a while. Every time she managed to finish two commissions, three more popped up. It was great for surviving, but not so great for gathering gossip on the latest happenings in the village. <br/><br/>“Here you are!” Mulono handed over a box containing a custom ruby anklet over to the woman in front of her stall. “Finished it just last night. Polished it extra for you.” <br/><br/>The Gerudo cracked it open hesitantly, then gasped when she saw the lovingly crafted jewelry.  “I love it, thank you!” <br/><br/>Mulono grinned in response and took the bag of rupees offered to her. <em> ‘That covers the rest of the costs,’ </em> she thought to herself. Before she knew it, she was alone at her stall again. <br/><br/>Finally, she could breathe for a second. <br/><br/>Sure, she had a couple of circlets to design and an engagement piece to work on. But that could be done in about ... five minutes. Yes, five minutes ought to do it. All Mulono needed was a quick break, a chance to finally catch her breath. <br/><br/>She got about two minutes before someone else came to her booth. Mulono mentally prepared herself for another commission, then she turned to -- <br/><br/>The thought got cut short when she saw who stood before her. Mulono stammered for a moment before managing to choke out, “My lord!?” <br/><br/>Ganondorf stood there, looking down at her with a critical, yet fair eye. His arms were crossed, partially hidden by his long, red hair. His outfit was regal as ever, bright colors and loose, expensive fabric, but -- but -- <br/><br/>Why was he at her booth!? Oh, Hylia, the pressure was going to kill her. <br/><br/>“Yes.” He scanned her wares slowly, eyes narrowed. Clearly, he was thinking. What about, she wished she knew, because her knees were shaking. “You designed the earrings Link wore, correct?” <br/><br/>Mulono fought to keep her tone chipper. “Yes I did! They looked wonderful on him. Honestly?” She leaned in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Between you and me, he was one of my favorite customers.” <br/><br/>She wasn’t lying; hopefully her king would know that. Link had been such a sweetheart when he dropped by; it was such a shame he hadn’t been back. But it was best to not overdo it -- Ganondorf didn’t take too kindly to needless flattery. At least, from what she heard. <br/><br/>“He said you were very professional.” <br/><br/>... Said? Could Link talk? <em> ‘No, that’s not important right now!’ </em> <br/><br/>“Well, that means a lot. I try to do good work.” She bowed her head in a show of modesty. “What can I do for you, my lord?” <br/><br/>“I need custom work done.” <br/><br/>Oh. Well, she didn’t expect this. <br/><br/>Ganondorf, her king, had asked her for some custom jewelry? Her, of all merchants? She was honored, truly, but she couldn’t deny being absolutely terrified at the same time. <br/><br/>Mulono swallowed her fear and looked up at Ganondorf, locking her eyes with his. <br/><br/>Her next question had slipped out before she even realized what she was saying. “Of course. Is it for a special someone?” <br/><br/>Mulono went rigid, eyes wide when she realized that she had overstepped her boundaries. Even unintentionally, he’d have every right to be angry. They stared at each other for a few moments, Mulono quietly horrified, and Ganondorf as cool and collected as ever. <br/><br/>“Yes.” He hesitated before answering, which told her everything she needed to know. Mulono let out a silent sigh of relief, then immediately resumed her top-notch customer service. <br/><br/>“Wonderful! Well, we’ll make it super special for -- them.” She had managed to catch herself before saying something incriminating, something she’d be thankful for eternity. Mulono immediately grabbed the closest quill pen and blank sheet of paper, then cleared off a spot on her stall. “What did you want? A circlet, bracelet ...?” <br/><br/>“A necklace.” <br/><br/>Well, all right, that was something to work with, at least. Mulono had to think on her feet -- how could she ‘angle’ it towards his lover, without telling him that she knew who that possible lover was? <br/><br/>... That was too complicated. <br/><br/>“What do they like?” <br/><br/>Much better. <br/><br/>“He prefers it simple.” Mulono blinked in surprise. “He’s a very modest man. So I would rather have good craftsmanship than anything with a gimmick. Is that understood?” <br/><br/>“Of course, my lord.” She immediately began to design a simple, but tasteful, necklace. Knowing how modest Link was, maybe ... hm. No, a bulkier frame wouldn’t suit him that well. Best make it thinner ... <br/><br/>“I want room for gemstones. He deserves nothing but the best.” <br/><br/>“I was thinking about ... here.” She turned the drawing around, showing the rough draft of the necklace-to-be. “See how I have the top and bottom there? We can have some small gemstones on the sides, and a larger one in the middle. We can make it subtle or showy --” <br/><br/>“Simple, if you please, as I said.” Ganondorf paused, then chuckled. “Not very common, but this is very special. I want him to be impressed.” <br/><br/>Impressed? Link was dating <em> Ganondorf</em>, the <em> king of the Gerudo. </em> If he wasn’t already impressed, then the Hylian had no idea what he was missing out on. Instead of remarking on this, Mulono just muttered a general agreement to be safe. <br/><br/>“All right, we’ll make it large, and accent the main gem with smaller ones. Simple, but still very impressive.” Mulono sketched as she talked, being sure to show Ganondorf every step of the process. If he requested a change, she acquiesced. If he asked questions, she answered them to the best of her ability. <br/><br/>If he noticed her quavering voice between some words or the way her hands shook while she worked on the design itself, he said nothing. For this, Mulono was grateful. By the time she finished the design sketch, she was sure she’d pass out as soon as he left. <br/><br/>She had to be strong. <br/><br/>“Is this satisfactory, my lord?” Mulono pushed the paper forward, showing off the design in full. It was a lot of gems, so it would be expensive; money was no object for the king, though. The commission she’d make on this ... she almost jumped for joy at the thought. <br/><br/>Double chains were something she hadn’t expected to ever do, but here she was. The gems would be between the two chains, holding everything together -- small emeralds and rubies would adorn the sides, with one massive emerald in the middle. It was simple, elegant yet showy, and something that would suit Link well. She was sure of it. <br/><br/>Ganondorf looked it over now with that same critical eye as before. Mulono felt like she was about to pass out. She struggled to keep her breathing under control and to stop her hands from shaking even more. <br/><br/>“It’s good.” <br/><br/>Those two words were enough to dispel the nausea that had crept up. Mulono sighed silently in relief. <br/><br/>“I’m glad to hear it. Now, the price --” <br/><br/>“Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.” He waved a hand flippantly. “Just make it good. How long will it take?” <br/><br/>“I’ll want to make it perfect,” Mulono confessed. “So ... I will send for you if it is finished before two weeks, but that will be highly unlikely.” <br/><br/>“Good. The deposit?” <br/><br/>“4,000 rupees, please.” Even just saying that high of a price felt unimaginable. Never mind what she’d get as soon as this was done! “The remaining 10,000 will be due upon pick-up.” <br/><br/>“Fair enough.” <br/><br/>The pouch of rupees Ganondorf handed Mulono were heavy with the sheer amount inside. Even if it was just silver rupees, there were so many of them! She’d be housed and fed for quite some time to come. Now she could pick and choose projects for a while, she could focus more on her craft, she could ... <br/><br/>“Thank you, my lord.” She bowed with a flourish, as was customary. “This will be my best work yet. I hope you’ll like it.” <br/><br/>“I’m sure I will.” <br/><br/>It wasn’t the answer she expected, nor did she know how to react. By the time Mulono tried to speak, he was already gone. </p><hr/><p>She had many a restless night working on this commission. Mulono couldn’t count how many times she scrapped it and started over or how many times she checked the craftsmanship every step of the way. Her partner had to remind her to eat and rest, but it normally fell on deaf ears. The only thing that mattered right now was perfecting the most important necklace she’d ever make.<br/><br/>Mulono had never felt so much pressure before. But it did wonders for her work ethic. When things were finally perfect, she felt a surge of pride that she had never even imagined was possible before. <br/><br/>Each gem caught in the light so beautifully -- only the best cuts for her king. The gold shone bright, smooth as can be and crafted impeccably. She didn’t toot her own horn too much, but Mulono knew that she had made something incredible. <br/><br/>When it was done, she couldn’t help but stare at it for a long time. She was careful to not touch it too much, but she examined it over and over. It had to be perfect. For the price Ganondorf was paying, she would accept nothing less. Nor would he. <br/><br/>It was worth it, though. It had to be. The idea was the only thing keeping her somewhat sane when she brought the box with the necklace in it to her stand that morning. Mulono tried to still her trembling hands as she opened up her stall for the day. Ganondorf’s necklace was hidden away, tucked beneath some decorative shawls behind the stall. <br/><br/>She wished that she knew when he’d arrive. He had been infuriatingly vague about that little tidbit. For now, though, all she could do was focus on the people who did show up. They were valued customers, too, and they deserved her full attention. <br/><br/>Mulono did, however, keep glancing around the busy streets for any sign of him. He’d stick out like a sore thumb; she’d have plenty of time to prepare herself mentally. When she didn’t see him, she just internally sighed and got on with her morning. <br/><br/>“... and here you are, the circlet you ordered!” <br/><br/>“Oh, I love it! Thank you so much!” The Gerudo bowed her head and immediately put on her new sapphire and silver circlet, grinning ear-to-ear. It was the most satisfying sight Mulono could ever imagine -- it never got old to see. “I can’t wait to show Ilis!” <br/><br/>“Well, if Ilis swings by, tell her she can get a discount. My special treat from me to you. Just make sure she can recite your order and describe it for me.” <br/><br/>“I’ll let her know!” She grasped Mulono’s hand, squeezed it tightly, and then rushed off -- presumably to show said friend. Mulono chuckled to herself, crouched behind her stall, and shifted a few things around. <br/><br/>Someone cleared his throat and she immediately shot up to attention. <br/><br/>“My lord!” <br/><br/>There he stood, looking as impressive as ever, regal and refined. Ganondorf nodded his head in greeting, then tilted his head to the side in a quizzical manner. <br/><br/>“Is it ready?” <br/><br/>“Yes, it is. And my finest work, if I say so myself.” <br/><br/><em> ‘Hands, stay still!’ </em> It took a couple of tries to grab the box, considering how badly her hands were shaking. Eventually, though, Mulono managed it. She stood up straight and held her head up high as she presented the necklace to Ganondorf. <br/><br/>Once she opened the box, she knew it was either acceptable or not. And she prayed to Hylia that it was not only acceptable, but <em> liked. </em> She’d be set for a long time if it was, and never mind praise from the king ...! <br/><br/>Ganondorf stared at the necklace, taking in each and every detail. He didn’t pick it up -- not yet. But Mulono could see his gaze flicker from left to right, the shine of the jewels reflecting in his eyes. Then, he tossed two pouches of rupees towards her. She barely managed to catch them.<br/><br/>“I like it.” <br/><br/>Mulono felt like she could fly if she wanted to. It was three simple words -- patronizing from other customers, but this was Ganondorf. He -- he! -- liked her work! He commissioned her in particular, and he <em> liked it! </em> She’d be doing a little dance as soon as he left her stall; there was no way she’d be able to help it. <br/><br/>“I’m so glad to hear it! I’m sure Link will love it.” She bit back a few extra remarks. This was not a customer she could joke around with. She’d have to be completely professional for this one, even if her nerves were screaming at her. <br/><br/>Ganondorf looked over his shoulder. For a moment, Mulono was confused as to why. <br/><br/>“Link, come here, please.” <br/><br/>Mulono hadn’t seen Link in quite a while. A part of her expected him to look radically different -- maybe he’d be in lavish clothes, hair up with exquisite jewelry, looking just as refined as his partner. <br/><br/>Much to her surprise, though, Link almost looked the same. Well, his hair had gotten much longer; it was in a ponytail now. But that was the only difference. He still wore his modest clothes, the simple ivory shirt and the brown pants. His shoes looked old and worn, but durable. The only fancy jewelry he wore were the earrings he had bought from her so long ago. <br/><br/>She wouldn’t even pretend to try to understand, but ... it was nice to see someone so genuine with Ganondorf. Wealth and prestige clearly didn’t change him. That was a rarity. <br/><br/>No wonder her king was so smitten with him. <br/><br/>Link’s demeanor brightened when he saw Mulono, and he waved happily as he rushed over towards them. He took his place at Ganondorf’s side, staring up at him adoringly. He gently brushed his hand against Ganondorf’s, linking their fingers together. <br/><br/>Ganondorf squeezed, then pulled his hand back. <br/><br/>“I have a surprise for you.” Ganondorf turned towards his lover, holding out the box towards him. Link glanced up, a quizzical look on his face, then gingerly took the box from Ganondorf’s hands. <br/><br/>Quite frankly, Mulono couldn’t believe that she was actually watching this. But she wasn’t going to say a word -- she wanted to see how Link reacted to her hard work. ‘What a privilege!’ <br/><br/>And what a reaction it was. <br/><br/>Link gasped -- a soft, gentle sound -- once he saw the necklace. One hand swiftly covered his mouth. Were those tears brimming in his eyes? The sun was a bit too bright; she couldn’t tell. Regardless, Link looked up to Ganondorf with the brightest smile she had ever seen on a person. <br/><br/>“Thank you,” he said. <br/><br/>... Wait. He could <em> talk? </em> Mulono stared, gobsmacked, as the two embraced each other tenderly. Ganondorf then removed the necklace from the box, gesturing for Link to turn around so he could put it on. <br/><br/>The sight would melt any heart, even the most hardened ones. <br/><br/>“Thank you, too,” Link said. He glanced over at her, looking utterly joyful. “You’ve been so nice to us. It means a lot.” <br/><br/>“You’re welcome,” Mulono stammered. “Anytime. Thank <em> you </em> , too.” She promptly shut up before she embarrassed herself. <br/><br/>With that, the happy couple walked off hand-in-hand. Mulono waved them goodbye, then immediately got back to work. <br/><br/>It was sweet. It really, really was -- she couldn’t think of a better word to describe it. The love between these two was clear and she only wished happiness for them both. <br/><br/>But who would believe her if she mentioned that it happened?! No one! <br/><br/>So, all she could do was continue to work and keep her business to herself. After all ... if she didn’t make too much of a big deal of it, maybe Ganondorf would return. Even better, they both would. <br/><br/>Mulono owed them quite a lot. Maybe she’d make a nice little bracelet as an offering for Ganondorf ... <br/><br/>Just maybe. </p>
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